Making It Up As We Go Along
by this is my pseudonym
Summary: Rose has just said goodbye to her mum via holographic link, the Doctor has decided it's time to stop running and change is in the air. And another storm is coming, this time bigger than the last. Can the Doctor save Rose... from herself?
1. Change, or Something Like It

**I promise I'm still working on Die and Be Again, I just had another idea (well quite a few and I like writing more than one story at a time), so here is my take on season 3 with Rose. Please give it a shot. I swear, I am not rewriting the season - some stories will have the same basic premise but they will be changed like no one's business and no lines will be the same. It won't be like watching the episode. Enjoy and please tell me if you'd like me to continue!**

* * *

Rose sniffled lightly, her hiccoughs and heavy tears tapering off as she snuggled firmly into the Doctor's side. The jumpseat squeaked slightly as she burrowed into the crook of his arm and the Doctor tightened his grip, lips grazing the top of Rose's head tenderly.

He knew she didn't regret it, coming back to him across the Void, but she's just lost her mum and a chance to get to know a Pete – separate, of course, from _the_ Pete, but a Pete nonetheless – and her best mate from infanthood – again. There's bound to be a bit of sadness all 'round.

The Doctor wouldn't admit it, but he'd miss Jackie too. Not the slaps, 'course, but her tea and the way she fussed over Rose and maybe those unexpected, affection-filled hugs she sprung on him once in a blue moon. Maybe.

The sniffing tapered off and Rose's breathing deepened and evened out. Snuggling his sleeping companion closer, the Doctor stood and adjusted Rose in his grip before he headed out of the console room, her bedroom just on the other side of the entranceway courtesy of the TARDIS.

He took his time tucking Rose in, moving her malleable body into a comfortable position and brushing stray hairs away from her face tenderly.

Her skin was soft and warm and his fingers lingered, his body slowly sinking to sit on the edge, hip tucked gently into the curve of her back. Hand framing Rose's cheek, the Doctor finally released the breath it seems he'd been holding since Rose's feet went airborne as they opened the breech.

She'd stayed. Well, in all actuality, she'd come back and then stayed. Then she'd held on to that lever and the Doctor knew her strength had come from the look of anguish in his eyes. Rose was never more determined than when it came to making sure he wouldn't get hurt.

No one would ever have done what Rose had done, no matter what they said. No one would have chosen him above their family, their chosen life course; he's always just been a vacation, the excitement that grandkids are told about. But Rose, his dear sweet, pink and yellow human, had chosen him.

The Doctor's hearts broke for love of this girl. And as he finally straightened up with one gentle kiss across Rose's lips, he made a decision. She always chooses him and it was about time that he finally chose her too.

* * *

The Doctor's quick, efficient use of the sonic came to a slow halt as his mind ran around and around the obvious and the distressful:

He'd almost lost her. Without taking that final step, without falling over that precipice they'd been standing on for months – well, years, now, really, and he'd almost lost her. And the thought didn't hurt any less than if they'd been together. The Doctor was a bright man, well, a brilliant, genius of man, but when it came to emotions, he was about as knowledgeable as a stump.

"But that's behind us now."

"What's behind us now?"

The Doctor jerked and slammed his forehead into the underside of the console, a crude curse slipping free that the TARDIS did not deign to translate. Rose giggled.

"Blimey, so glad you find my pain amusing, love," the Doctor groused as he clambored out from the maintenance hole.

His body came level with Rose, who's eyebrows shot upward and who's eyes flashed with hope quickly concealed. The Doctor winced; he'd done that; taught her that in the most cruel ways possible. Taking a deep breath to fortify himself (because conviction or not, the Doctor's been running from stuff like this for eons), the Doctor gently gripped Rose's hands in his own and llead her to the jumpseat.

Rose sat, apprehension beginning to shine in her eyes as she watched the Doctor settle on his knees in front of her. Noticing, the Doctor reached for her cheek, hand cupping the side as his thumb caressed the apple.

"No, no, no. Nothing bad, Rose. I promise. I-"

The Doctor stopped to take a deep breath and then finished with, "I wanted to know where you wanted to go for our first proper date. Fantastic as it was, end of the world and chips just doesn't seem right, you know?"

He refused to lower his eyes. Rose deserved this and he needed her to know, with a desperation he'd never felt before, that he meant this. Playtime was over.

Confusion slowly gave way to joy on Rose's face; her eyes widening and starting to shine, her wide mouth displaying that tongue-touched grin he loved so, so much. His own daft grin spread across his face and in seconds, they were hugging.

He felt Rose breathe in deep of his scent and then nuzzle into his neck. Seconds passed for them before she spoke: "This isn't just 'cause I chose y-"

The Doctor jerked back, eyes seeking and holding Rose's own fiercely.

"Never, ever think that, Rose. Ever. I'm asking because... because I..."

The words wouldn't come. He felt them, but they wouldn't come! Biting his lip, the Doctor dropped his head, disappoinment in himself spreading like wildfire.

Soft hands cupped his face and lifted it upward. There, Rose's eyes gazed down fondly, a soft smile crossing her lips.

"You don't have to say it, Doctor. Not now, not yet. It's more'n enough that you want to go on a date, right now."

She leaned in to lay a kiss on the Doctor's forehead, nuzzling into his hair after. "Say it when you're ready and not a moment before."

A grin to rival the shining of the sun spread across the Doctor's face and he exuberantly burst out," You're always magnificent, Rose! Now, where do you want to go? Dinner and dancing on Xyliom, picnic and mokka bear rides on Priffin, good ol' fashioned movie in London?"

He was dancing around the console now, flicking switches and pressing buttons, his old hyperactivity back with a vengeance.

"I want to go golfing on Earth's moon, 21st century."

The Doctor spun in place, smile nearly swallowing the rest of his face as he exclaimed, "Excellent choice, Ms Tyler. Do lets go pick out our space-golfing suits!"

He input the coordinates, then pumped, flipped and pushed and in seconds, they were settling quite roughly onto the surface of the moon.


	2. A Doctor, a Tyler and a Hospital : 1

**I apologize to all Sarah Jane fans if I've got her characterized wrong - I only have School Reunion to go on.**

* * *

Rose's silvery-pink gravity ball flew through the non-air toward hole 8, its perfect arc indicating a hole-in-one. It landed in the cup and swirled in time to Rose's victory jumps. The Doctor, clad in brown and periwinkle pinstriped spacesuit, grabbed Rose into a tight hug and twirled her around. Their laughter bounced back and forth through their comlinks, nearly drowning out the _whoosh!_ of columnar ships flying over head. Nearly.

Looking up, Rose's mouth fell slightly open, her first glimpse since Satellite 5 of an armada of spaceships rendering her speechless. The Doctor, noticing Rose's lack of humour, pulled back and followed her gaze. They watched in silence as the ships disappeared behind a few dunes and listened as they powered down.

Their eyes turned to each other, grins spreading across their faces.

"Let's go!"

Hands clasped as tightly as bulky space gloves would allow, the two made their way toward the dunes - and to where the TARDIS was located. Their gravity boots - made special by the TARDIS - made running at speed possible and it was only a few minutes that they were cresting the slight hill that overlooked the open area in front of them.

A few seconds of disbelieving silence soon gave way to the Doctor's slightly squeaky, very manly voice asking, "Rose, have I finally gone completely 'round the bend or is the TARDIS currently parked inside the entrance vestibule of a 21st century Earth hospital?"

"Well, let's be honest, you didn't have very far to go in the first place and, frankly, passed that bend 'bout six months back. But yes, the TARDIS is parked inside a hospital."

The Doctor chuckled out, "You think you're so funny."

"I _am_ so funny!"

They giggled together a bit more, until the ships began dispatching their passengers.

Rose squinted at the small figures, tracing their neck-less helmets, body armor and the blasters strapped to their sides. The Doctor gripped Rose's hand tightly.

"Who are they, Doctor?" Her eyes swiveled to look at him and she met the Doctor's own eyes, hardened with dislike.

"They're the Judoon. Intergalactic police, well, bounty hunters - well, more like thugs, really. They chase down criminals all across the universe and haul them back to be punished by the Shadow Proclamation."

Rose grasped on to the one thing she knew: "But isn't the Shadow Proclamation a good thing? Intergalactic law and all that? Only I remember you saying something 'bout the Nestene violating a level 5 planet and that."

Warmth spread through Rose as the Doctor cast her a proud glance. Her cheeks flushed with it and she beamed.

"Right you are, Rose. Except the Judoon are, well, thick. Thick as a swimming pool full of molasses, thick. They don't much care for anything other than their target and as long as they don't step foot on a level 5 planet, the Proclamation doesn't particularly care how they get things done."

Shivers zipped down Rose's spine at the ominous tone to those words and she murmured, "Guessin' that whole hospital is in danger then."

The Doctor squeezed Rose's hand once and answered back just as softly, "Right as always, precious girl. Now, shall we?"

The last was said with enthusiasm and Rose nodded eagerly, always ready for adventure. They descended the dune carefully and stealthily assimilated on to the tail end of the Judoon ranks, following without incident into the entrance vestibule. The thugs continued into the building proper, but Rose and the Doctor veered off to the TARDIS, stripping off their space gear the moment they entered.

"Rose, start scanning for foreign DNA and filter out the platoon of Judoon. Hey! There's a platoon of Judoon." The Doctor paused for effect, smile beaming at Rose, waiting for her to join the play. She grinned back and they finished together, "On the moon!"

They laughed together giddily, their first proper adventure since what they somberly called Doomsday, as Rose worked her way slowly but steadily through the scanning tech, trying to remember all the Doctor had taught her, while the Doctor scrabbled about for she knew not what.

As the scan whizzed by on the little screen, Rose cast a quick glance at him. "What you lookin' for, then?"

"Oh, my bio-damper. Do you remember where I put it? Can't go out without one, they're so thick they'd probably think I was who they are looking for, by virtue of not being human, and that wouldn't be good for anyone. I'm rather fond of this body."

Rose grinned wolfishly and whispered, "'S slim an' a little bit foxy."

The Doctor struck a pose, right hand behind his head and elbow stuck out in a sideways V, left hip cocked and waggled his brows. "Only a little bit, then?"

Rose snickered. "Daft ol' thing." She cleared her throat and forced her grin into submission, answering his earlier question, "I think you dropped it under the grating last time."

The Doctor snapped his fingers once before diving under to retrieve the ring.

There was a knock at the door. The Doctor popped his head back out of the hole the removed grating made, eyes boggling at the entrance. Rose's head whipped about to do the same. Silence reigned for all of 30 seconds before a familiar voice called out, "Open up, I know you've got to be in there. Nothing has gone completely wrong out here yet!"

Rose laughed and yelled, "Sarah Jane!"

She bounded down the ramp and yanked the doors open, then pulled Sarah Jane into the ship. The doors were thrust closed swiftly before Rose threw her arms around the older woman with a whoop.

Sarah Jane laughed as well, arms looping around Rose's waist as they danced about for a moment before pulling back.

The journalist took stock of Rose quickly, from toes to top and commented, "You're looking quite well for a dead woman, Rose."

All movement stopped, the Doctor's eyes boggled just a bit more (after the boggling they did when Sarah Jane had entered the TARDIS, anyway, and Rose wanted to make a comment about things staying like that and wouldn't that be interesting but she really had better things to address at the moment) and Rose blinked in surprise.

"Pardon?" "_Pardon?!_"

Sarah Jane's eyebrows legged it to her hairline as she casually commented, "My, I thought it was just the unexpectedness of the matter but this regeneration is quite squeaky, isn't he?"

Rose sputtered some giggles, earning her an outraged glare from said squeaky-man before she sobered and commented, "So, I'm dead, then? Never been dead before, been missing presumed dead, 'course, but not actually believed dead." Her eyes quirked. "How's that, then?"

The Doctor hopped up out from under the console and placed a comforting hand on Rose's hip and the other around her waist. Sarah Jane's eyebrows hiked to even higher reaches but she said nothing on that particular subject and instead moved on to more important things: like berating a couple who had allowed her to mourn a girl she'd not known long but in the end had adored.

"Battle of Canary Wharf ring any bells in your belfry, Doctor, or has senility finally claimed you?"

A snort escaped Rose before she could clamp down on it, earning her a fondly aggrieved squeeze on her waist before the look in Sarah Jane's eyes sobered her. She looked furious, but behind the fury was an old grief... a grief for Rose.

"Oh, Sarah!" She wrenched her way out of the Doctor's hold and threw her arms around the older woman's shoulders. More aware of the situation, Rose registered the calmer grasp the woman now had on her than before.

The Doctor sighed and pinched his nose, his tone heavy as he replied, "I'm so sorry, Sarah Jane. It... Rose lost her mum - No! She's not dead, just gone. Complicated. Anyway, timey-wimey and all. Canary Wharf's only been... what? Eighteen hours ago for us, all told. Was unaware Rose'd been declared dead. Should probably rectify that - or gather any belongings that may be of sentimental value to you before your relatives descend and ravage your belongings, Rose."

Rose pulled back and looked sorrowfully at Sarah Jane. "How long have we inadvertently Aberdeen'd you, Sarah Jane?"

The older woman smiled, this one fondly, and stepped back, "About a year. But all's forgiven, especially if we go for tea after we've cleared up this hospital on the moon business."

The Doctor blinked, mind abruptly reminded of the extremely important matter to hand, and jerked into motion. "Right! Reunions later, problem solving now! Found the bio-damper." He was a whirling dervish as he made his way to the completed scans and babbled, "Rose, you've managed to find us a Plasmavore!"

Sarah Jane and Rose blinked in confusion, but it was Sarah Jane who spoke: "So, it was a Plasmavore who put those weird coils around the hospital? What, did it want to drain the whole hospital of blood in relative peace? Bit overkill, if you ask me."

Disgust was heavily laced in Sarah Jane's voice and reflected quite thoroughly on Rose's face.

The Doctor grinned and commented, "Good guess, but no. It wasn't the Plasmavore who put those - coils, you say? Must be plasma coils, an H2O scoop to bring them up here, tricky that - there. No, Rose and I already discovered the culprits of that particular lark. Judoon."

Sarah Jane looked completely confused. "Those rhino things?"

Rose's interest perked up. "The Judoon look like rhinos?"

Sarah Jane nodded and commented dryly, "Fascinating how many of Earth's animals appear as sentient, intergalactic lifeforms, isn't it?"

Rose's mind flashed back to the cat-nuns and she giggled along with Sarah Jane. The Doctor smiled indulgently before he dragged them back on track, which, frankly, was a shame. He loved seeing them get together instead of attacking each other. Well, if they weren't pointing and laughing at him.

"Yes, those rhino things. Intergalactic thug-cops. Bounty hunters for the Shadow Proclamation." He stopped to stick his tongue out in concentration as he affixed... something to another something that Rose had no idea when or where he'd pulled it out from.

Rose continued, eyeing the Doctor weirdly before shaking her head and turning to Sarah Jane, "They're chasing an alien criminal and pulled the hospital to the moon 'cause it's neutral territory, see, unlike Earth, which is level 5. But if they decide the humans have been harboring a criminal, they'll sentence the whole place to death."

Sarah Jane shook her head in aggravation. "Arrogant and thick, as if it's their right to judge us, especially when most of our kind don't even believe in aliens yet. Shouldn't be surprised, mind."

Rose nodded sagely and looped her arm loosely through one of Sarah Jane's. She got a squeeze back.

"Right! That should do it!"

"Do what, Doctor?"

The Doctor turned in surprise, as if he'd expected the two to read his mind - and perhaps he did, Rose wouldn't really put the thought past him. Sarah Jane just stared expectantly. Rose watched as the Doctor shifted uncomfortably, like a student in trouble with his teacher. She turned sideways eyes to Sarah Jane and resolved to ask the older woman to teach her that ability. Come in handy, it would.

There was a moment of the Doctor dancing between un-surety and confusion, before he smiled his cheesy grin and finally filled the other two in.

"Let's us detect a plasmic digestive tract, of course. Allonsy!"

He offered both women a gallant arm. Smiling, each woman took the offered appendage and the group traipsed out of the TARDIS.

* * *

Every where they looked, terrified humans - doctors, nurses, patients, staff - cowered in terror or stood protectively over others, glaring defiantly at the alien intruders. Sarah Jane gestured up the stairs at one such brave soul - a tall, older, balding bloke - and said, "Dr. Stoker, the chief of the hospital. I'll go ask him if he's noticed anything suspicious about any patients, while you young'uns do all the leg work."

The Doctor smiled and slipped her his psychic paper. "Good luck, Sarah." He pointed at her with a glare, then. "And don't wander off - you find us again right away."

Rose rolled her eyes at Sarah Jane, a look Sarah returned playfully. The Doctor decided to magnanimously ignore their childish behaviour and marched smartly on - dragging Rose with him. His Plasmic Digestive Tract Tracker blipped and bleeped madly as he swung it about while Rose's eyes roved the hospital.

She hit on something across the way and grinned. Poking the Doctor in his shoulder, she pointed when he turned her way, eyebrows raised, and said, "Look. It's a little shop."

The Doctor's eyes ran over the shop, even as he continued bleeping, and he smiled brightly. "I love a little shop. The last one we were in didn't have a shop, Rose."

Rose shook her head sadly, "Crime, that."

"Indeed."

* * *

Sarah Jane made her way toward Dr. Stoker, psychic paper at the ready. She turned once to look back, watching as the Doctor and Rose laughed about something before disappearing around a corner and noted their direction before facing ahead again. She took a breath and pasted a wide smile on her face.

"Dr. Stoker! Hello, I'm Sarah Jane from Scotland Yard and I have some questions for you, sir."

The man in question looked at her rudely before saying drolly, "You don't think it could wait until we're back on Earth and not being accosted by bipedal rhinos?"

"Not particularly, as this may help us with that problem."

"Scotland Yard has an extraterrestrial department now, do they?"

"Did you not see my credentials?"

They stared hard at each other, Sarah Jane barely holding on to her temper, before Dr. Stoker's eye twitched and he jerked his head to the right, to a small dim alcove. She quirked a brow and indicated for him to lead on.

Dr. Stoker turned to Sarah Jane and gestured impatiently.

"Have somewhere to go?" He glared and she bit back a laugh. "Have you had any strange... patients? Perhaps with a craving for blood?"

"A craving. For blood." His tone was disbelieving and his eyes were shouting that Sarah Jane was insane.

Sarah bit out, "We are on the moon, currently. I'm sure this isn't too far out of your realm of disbelief."

Sighing, the man pinched his nose and said, "I haven't had any patients coming to me with a desire to drink blood, no."

"Anything strange at all you can tell me? Repeat faces coming to the hospital, anything?"

"N-," Dr. Stoker paused, a strange look passing across his face before he drawled out, "One patient, Florence Finnegan, has appeared in the hospital several times in the past month. With salt deficiency."

Sarah Jane waited for more, but when nothing else was forthcoming, she asked, "Aaaand that's strange?"

"You are looking for a vampire, yes? If she subsists on blood, she'd be lacking salt if she hasn't eaten recently."

Perking up, Sarah Jane drew out a pad and a pen and asked, "What does she look like and where did you last see her?"


End file.
